Tag: miracle

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Ezekiel: Hope for a New Heart

Read: Ezekiel 35-37

As I obediently work my way through the Old Testament, I’m so amazed how God speaks through our ancient ancestors. The lessons we are offered in God’s amazing Bible all point to a loving Father that looks forward to the day when we all live in complete unity. Crazy to think about. We’re nearly done with Ezekiel–hang in there, and listen for the lessons God has for you.

Hope for Israel: (Ezekiel 36)

The enemy said of you, “Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession.”’ Ezekiel 36:2

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn. “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. Ezekiel 36:7-8

God promises that Israel will once again flourish in the land they loved so much…one day “The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.” This is a great promise for a renewed Israel that comes deep into the time of exile when it seems all is lost. At the end of chapter 33 we recall that Ezekiel is established as a credible prophet, so assuming these words come after 33:33, those who hear them must have been truly comforted, even if they can’t put a date on their calendars.

A New Heart

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Ezekiel 36:26-27

This is a great and wonderful promise, one that is used often as we seek to spread the gospel. Whether we say these words or not, this is the message we are attempting to convey: Jesus will change your heart. When we invite Jesus into our heart, we are dramatically changed, we have to be since we are told that the Spirit himself dwells in us. For those of us who grew up in the church, this seems normal, but it’s nothing short of miraculous! Many songs carry this message and I’m confident that it’s accurate, but we often miss the purpose behind this change, at least I do.

Too often I want my heart changed so I will reap rewards, feel the connection to the Spirit and walk in confidence that the Lord is with me. This all sounds good, but let’s be clear:

It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. Ezekiel 36:22

That puts a different perspective on my desire to have my heart changed — it’s not about me, it never was!

The promise of a clean heart is overwhelming to consider and Ezekiel hammers the point home after promising the hope for Israel, “I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!” (Ezekiel 36:32)

I just read Lecrae’s biographical book, Unashamed, a gift I received for Father’s Day. I’ll write a post or two from some of the lessons drawn from the book, but suffice it to say, Lecrae’s title is not meant to say he was unashamed of his past, no sir, he is unashamed of his future. He doesn’t reference Ezekiel as he talks about his failures in the past, but he shows his scars to help us all recognize that scars are reminders of wounds that have healed. We all have wounds, some deeper than others, but Lord I look forward to the day that I can unashamedly reveal the scars from the wounds I feel today. Just being honest. Through many struggles it seems this man of God has found his identity in Christ alone, is not trying to please the world or the church, but rather he serves One God. A lesson for us all to draw from, even those who don’t understand hip-hop or appreciate the genre.

Israel’s Dry Bones Revived and Unity Restored (Ezekiel 37)

The imagery in this chapter is amazing to consider — resurrection for all!

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:4-6

Again we are invited to receive the promise that the Spirit will indwell in us:

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37:14

Even more exciting is the promise that God will once again reunite all of Israel:

I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’ Ezekiel 37:19

These are great promises given in the middle of overwhelmingly oppressive times. Hard to appreciate in my present day luxurious surrounds where I have little worry about what I will eat or drink or where I will sleep comfortably. I’m spoiled.

Lord, help us to soak in your words and stir our hearts to action for your glory and for your kingdom.

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Inclusivity, Wickedness, Comfort and True Fasting

Isaiah 56-58 and Psalm 105

We’re all over the charts this morning, covering several topics in these chapters. Psalm 105 does a good job of preparing us for the reading this morning:

Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
Psalm 105:5-7

Every once in awhile I need to remind myself that God has always been the God of miracles. From long ago he has shown us his mighty power, but not for the sake of showing His strength–he did these things for our benefit, to draw us back to him. Yes, we are to be amazed at what he can do, but I think we should be more amazed at why he does these things. Think back on the miracles that come to mind and examine they why more than the what and be amazed. Our God loves us more than we can imagine.

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 105:1

Isaiah 56:1-8 – Salvation for Others & Keeping the Sabbath:

It seems the idea of being more inclusive is not something new:

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Isaiah 56:6-7

Yes, the Lord is the Lord of all, the Israelite and the foreigner; those raised in the church and those far from Christ. Let us learn this completely.

Twice this section includes the call to keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and then again in chapter 58.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 58:13-14

Once again, I’m convicted of not being good about keeping the Sabbath as commanded, something I need to reexamine all the time. It seems so simple, but since I’ve worked from my home for more than 20 years, it’s hard to find that place where I can rest. Lord, help me to be obedient in finding and keeping the Sabbath.

Isaiah 56:9-57:13 – God’s Accusation Against the Wicked:

This section is completely different thought, one where see Israel’s watchmen as blind, ignorant and lazy; those who would rather get drunk without any concern for the day.

Israel’s watchmen are blind,
they all lack knowledge;
they are all mute dogs,
they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
they love to sleep.
Isaiah 56:10

Lord, there are those among us that fit this description, and perhaps we look like this from time to time. In both cases, Lord, help us to see those who need to be called out for their own good and show us how to love them back to you. For some, that is is a tough love; for others, incredible kindness is required. Give us a discerning heart to know what to do. All for your glory and your kingdom.

Not surprising, we find contemporary problems discussed in ancient writings:

Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
Isaiah 57:10

The only difference is the accessibility of pornography to our current society, at least here in this “modern” affluent context. This verse is an eye-opener for those who think our current brokenness is new. Lord, keep working on me to improve, to recognize the pagan symbols that I hide. Keep me far from porn of all kinds. Remind me to take refuge in you (Isaiah 57:13), to look to you for safety. I have remembered, Lord, I do take this to heart.

Isaiah 57:14-21 – Comfort for the Contrite:

For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 57:15

If God is so concerned for the contrite, for those overwhelmed with guilt, feeling truly sorry for their sin, so should we. It’s not my place to make someone feel guilty for their sin, but for loving them in spite of themselves, not as judge, but as one who takes on this character of God to care for the lost. This is our God.

Isaiah 58 – True Fasting:

Our ancestors were swept away into exile and tried to prove themselves as the religious right by fasting more and more, yet their fasts were broken with quarreling, fighting (literally with fists), demanding to be noticed for their righteousness. This is not why we fast.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Isaiah 58:6-7

I’m no expert on fasting, but I do understand that fasting centers on God. There are lots of ideas on fasting in this modern world, something I should probably study more, but it’s clear in this text that if fasting is all about drawing attention to myself, it is no fast at all! What if we fasted and shared our food with the hungry? Or provided for the lost? That’s something worth considering far above any pious activity.

Lots of thoughts this morning. I pray God will speak to each of us where we most need it this morning.

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Easter: Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Read: John 20-21

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Tradition that reminds us to remind ourselves of this spectacular, pivotal event in history. I was raised with such rich tradition, with Easter Egg hunts and candy treats, with early Son Rise services as we sang hymns on cool Easter Sundays. The Easter Lilies that adorned the sanctuaries bloom to remind us that the Lord of Creation is the Lord of the Resurrection.

A lot of these traditions are old now, but I’m thankful for the heritage, the fond memories of watching our girls run around with Easter baskets finding treats around the house. One of my favorites was in Colorado where we “hid” Easter eggs on top of the snow! We sectioned off the area by age groups and watched the girls and their friend find eggs on top of the Spring snow. They didn’t miss a beat. The joy with which they collected eggs and the celebration that followed is heart-warming even today. I miss those days, but I’m thankful for the memories.

It’s a different world and a new time, but the course of history was changed by this single moment. All four Gospels cover the most significant event in history: the Resurrection of Jesus! Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21

Each provide a different perspective of the account of eyewitnesses that attest to this miracle above all miracles. John provides some details, a wonderful record of events from the early discovery through appearances to the disciples (the eleven).

I want to read more about the event, but John simple states:

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31

But he couldn’t stop writing! Chapter 21 adds more details:

Finally, he put the quill and ink to rest:

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25

Brett Andrews sent an email to the New Life Christian Church staff asking for prayer in many specific ways. He ended the email with verse three from an old hymn some one hundred years ago that captures the moment:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
The Love of God, Frederick Lehman, 1917

Many of my friends are busy this morning as they serve local churches in various parts of the country. I pray that our commitment to serving the church doesn’t make us so busy that we miss the splendor of the day.

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

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Elisha’s Supernatural Provisions

2 Kings 3-4

Moab Defeated by Joint Armies

Chapter 3 recounts a time when the kings of Israel (Joram), Judah (Jehoshaphat) and Edom (well…governor of Edom) united to confront Moab. Joram was a notch better than his ancestors, but still far from being good in God’s eyes. Still, for some reason, this union was allowed and the unified front assembled and marched through the desert to confront Moab.

After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. 2 Kings 3:9

This is interesting from a military perspective. Logisticians are notorious for saying, “logistics wins wars,” because armies can’t fight without provisions. Here we see the great plans of these three kings runs aground. Jehoshaphat knows what to do: find a prophet and ask God. My question a this point is simple: why didn’t you ask before you started marching?

Nonetheless, they figure out that Elisha is the prophet to ask, so they find him and pose the question. Elisha only agrees to entertain the question because Jehoshaphat has joined the battle, so he intervenes and asks God for support. The response is favorable. Water will appear miraculously and they will win the battle.

The next day, water appears and the issue of verse 9 is resolved. In addition, the Moabites are fooled by the sun reflecting off of the unexpected pools of water at sunrise and decide to go and grab the plunder:

To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red–like blood. “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!” 2 Kings 3:22-23

Fools. Convinced that the Israelites were dead and dying the Moabites pounce in to grab plunder only to find an able and fit army that slaughtered the Moabites. End of chapter 3: “The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.” (2 Kings 3:27)

The Widow’s Olive Oil

Here’s an interesting story of God’s provision for a widow who seeks Elisha’s help. One of the company of prophets died and his widow has two sons and apparently some debt that is to be collected by making slaves of her two sons. The plan is simple and secret: collect empty jars from our neighbors and bring them to your house and shut the door, then fill all of the jars from the one jar of oil you have. She doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t question his direction, she simply does what he says. When all the jars were miraculously filled, the oil stopped flowing.

She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” 2 Kings 4:7

The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life

To set the stage for this story, “a well-to-do” woman lived in Shunem where Elisha often traveled to (or through). She talks to her husband and the add a room to their house for Elisha to stay in when he is traveling through.

“Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 2 Kings 4:10

How cool is that! Elisha wants to bless her so he asks his servant (Gehazi) what can be done. He tells Elisha that she has no son, so Elisha lets the woman know that within a year she will have a son. She is very humbled by this announcement and scared at the same time.

The boy grows, but apparently has a brain tumor or something that causes him extreme headaches. The boy dies and his body is placed on Elisha’s bed in their house. Elisha sends Gehazi to lay his staff on the boy’s head, but when that doesn’t work, Elisha takes direct action. He closes the door so he and Gehazi can pray. Again, a private miracle happens. The boy is revived and reunited with his family.

Two More Stories of Elisha

The first story labeled, “Death in the Pot” refers to stew in a pot that was made during a famine. Apparently is was really horrible, so Elisha adds some flour and the stew is fixed! Whatever was harmful in the stew was immediately neutralized.

The second story is a precursor to Jesus’ feeding of 4,000 or 5,000. In this story, 20 loaves of fresh bread are used to feed 100 men at the word of Elisha.

“Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: “They will eat and have some left over.” 2 Kings 4:43

They are all fed and indeed, some was left over.

God provides his people. Always. Many times this provision comes in private, one to another, no fanfare, no public display. God is not a magic genie to be summoned upon, but rather the Lord of all, worthy of praise. Our part of the process is to give it all to God and trust completely in his provision. Lord, help me to do my part.

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Crossing the Jordan

Joshua 1-4 and Psalm 35

In the first 9 verses of Joshua we read, “be strong and very courageous” three times, then once again in verse 18! The Lord promises Joshua he will be with him, but reminds him over and over again that this isn’t going to be easy. It’s not easy, but it is wonderful!

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous…Joshua 1:4

Rahab and the Spies

Joshua sent two spies across the Jordan, especially Jericho, to provide their intelligence assessment and prepare the army for battle. Rahab provides a hiding place for the spies and lets them know that the people are truly afraid of the Israelites. I’ve heard lots of sermons on Rahab, but it’s still hard to understand why these guys sought out a prostitute or somehow knew this was the right thing to do.

Crossing the Jordan

They camped for three days along the Jordan, no need to hurry after 40 years of wandering! God provides another miraculous sign for the crossing of the Jordan:

…as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away…so the people crossed over opposite Jericho…The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground… Joshua 3:15-17

If the people in Jericho were afraid because of the stories they heard, this must be a terrifying sight to see! Last time we heard about the population, the Israelites were some 2 million people strong, plus livestock and possessions. This is not stealthy crossing! This is a mass of humanity walking across a dry riverbed during flood stage. Amazing stuff!!

 

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Consecration of the Firstborn; Crossing the Sea

Exodus 13-14 and Psalm 16

The Passover took the firstborn from the Egyptians, all the Israelites were spared. Now God directs a simple gesture of gratitude: “Consecrate to me every firstborn male.” So what does it mean to consecrate? When was the last time someone asked me to consecrate something?

Answer: In the Bible the word consecration means “the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with a perfect God.” Consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.1

In Romans 12:1, Paul provides a New Testament view that extends consecration to everyone, we are all a “living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God…” Over and over we are reminded of the good things God has done. For some reason the Israelites needed constant reminders, how about us? Their memories were so bad AND they witnessed miracles on a scale that we have not seen in our lifetime. Will we remember?

It didn’t take long for the grumbling to begin, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?” Exodus 14:11. Seriously? Yes. That’s the plan. No! This was an opportunity for God to demonstrate his power, his desire, in front of a million Israelites: The crossing of the Red Sea.

Pharaoh pursued the mass of people to retrieve “his slaves” and restore the brick industry, but God had other plans. God needed to intervene. These people had been slaves for generations, 430 years. All they knew was slavery. The eldest elder was the son of a slave. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the concept. They didn’t know how to muster an army, they had just packed up everything they had and headed out of Egypt. They were probably pretty unsure of their decision when God intervenes and demonstrates a sample of what he has in mind:

And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. Exodus 14:31

I wonder if I see the small miracles in my everyday life, the evidence of God’s hand in little things. On one hand, God provides additional funds for our family with a requirement to work day and night for a period of time. On the other, money is ripped out from our family and given up for unplanned reasons. At the end of the day, somehow, it all balances out. Do I have the faith to believe? Will I put my trust in God?

I don’t know your ways, my Lord, but I will follow you all of my days. Let me learn from those that watched amazing wonders and yet got confused, but keep me from becoming the grumbling fools I read about.

1https://gotquestions.org/Bible-consecration.html

 

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Knowing God Leads to Obedience

Exodus 7-9 and Psalm 15

Ironically, today’s Our Daily Bread referred to Matthew 16:1–4 that begins, “The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.” As I read Exodus 7, I have a little empathy for these leaders. God gave Moses the ability to perform signs for Pharaoh, why wouldn’t Jesus do the same? It’s a shallow question since those around Jesus, certainly by the time of Matthew 16, have seen miracles that are far greater than the signs Moses performed, but I’m trying to understand how the Jewish leaders of their time were so blind to the Messiah that stood in front of them. I think we need to wrestle with this or risk becoming 21st century Pharisees today! It’s easy to stand behind our doctrine, dogma, Systematic Theology and advanced degrees, but perhaps this has blinded us to Matthew 22, 25 & 28 callings that Jesus clearly provides. (end of rant…back to Exodus).

Why all the signs and wonders? Why the plagues and swarming insects?

For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Exodus 9:15-16

I learn many things by reading this narrative: 1) God is faithful, 2) God is mighty and 3) God desires to have a relationship with us. Two plagues were recreated by the magicians with whatever “arts” they could wield (blood and frogs), but by the third (gnats) they were finished. After the plagues of flies and livestock, “those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside” (Exodus 9:20) when they hear Moses and Aaron speak of the plague of hail. Pharaoh doesn’t relent as we know, but hearts inside Egypt are being changed, albeit rather forcefully. For their culture, perhaps, this is appropriate. The Pharaoh rules with an iron fist, commanding life and death for his subjects, so my guess is this is the language they can understand.

God’s ways are indeed mysterious and many times not easy to comprehend until we have the privilege of looking back. If history teaches, we should learn from these stories. Teach me, Lord. I sit here listening.

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Psalm 139

As Easter season is fully upon us it seems prudent to take time to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for all of us for all time. I have friends that give up Facebook for Lent or various things definitively seen as worldly. I haven’t followed their lead because I tend to resist doing things (or not doing) that are trite and trivial in the first place. At the risk of sounding pious: if there is something I should sacrifice for Lent, perhaps I simply should let that go.

Lent, the forty days leading up to Easter, calls me to stop and reflect, pray and try to get my mind around what happened on the cross. Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus, Easter about the death and resurrection. I can get pretty excited about a baby being born–after witnessing the miracle of birth of our four daughters, but it’s hard to get excited about the brutal torture and death of Jesus, even though I know resurrection is around the corner. It’s hard because death is not something I celebrate and resurrection is beyond my comprehension.

One of the new songs I’ve learned at Hope Fellowship (thanks to Worship Pastor, Beth Ehlert) is based on Psalm 139. Simply titled 139, the song’s third verse is short is punctuated by whole notes that tell me to listen to these words carefully:

I open up my heart please search me through
Does anything displease you?
Lead me in the way of the cross.

139, David Moore, © 2012 Gateway Create Publishing

When first heard the song the question “Does anything displease you?” haunted me, it stuck out so boldly. I imagine God’s answer to that is something like, “Sit down boy, I have a list of things that displease me…”

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

After a short rest the song picks up the answer that is beyond comprehension: the cross. On the cross Jesus covered my sins–all of my sins. He covered sin for all who would daily pick up their cross and follow him (Matthew 16:24).

This year I will stop. Listen to the whole notes. Ask God to search me, to even test me, but when I fail: lead me in the way everlasting. I might even take time to go through the Stations of the Cross to guide my thoughts. In any case, this is a season to listen to the whole notes and hear what God is saying.

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Ragamuffin Gospel: The Scandal of Grace: Fifteen Years Later

Call to Action

Apparently, Brennan Manning was scolded harshly by some in the Christian community for this book. Perhaps he speaks as a prophet for our current Christian culture, calling out those who would reduce Christianity to a Sunday morning activity–which happens to include most of us. I suggest “us” in this sense because, like it or not, those who are not assimilated into our culture view Christians as all one people lumped together. They don’t know the difference between a nun and evangelical. We (collectively) have built institutions–not Jesus. We are the ones that make rock stars out of gifted musicians, celebrities out of gifted preachers, untouchables out of those who publish books.

Manning implores us to destroy these titles and simply share the gospel of grace through living lives of loving our neighbors.

  • Ragamuffins don’t sit down to be served; they kneel down to serve.
  • Ragamuffins give thanks for the smallest gift
  • They don’t complain about the feeble preaching of their local church, but are grateful for the smallest crumb that tumbles from the preacher’s mouth
  • No long prayers or big words (just small words that force you to look up the definitions!1)
  • There is no pretense about self-sufficiency
  • Raw honest becomes part of the character of a ragamuffin
  • Radical dependence and trusting surrender are the heartbeat of a ragamuffin
  • They have found the hidden treasure in the field–nothing compares to the kingdom of God

Our churches are not country clubs, decked out to impress our communities. We must not endorse nominal Christianity, but at the same time we need to figure out how to graciously move to defrost the frozen chosen. Belief in Christ is not the end of the story–it’s the beginning of a new life.

Perhaps the supreme achievement of the Holy Spirit in the life of ragamuffins is the miraculous movement from self-rejection to self-acceptance. It is not based on therapy or the power of positive thinking; it is anchored in their personal experience of the acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Though I prefer to meet someone who is lost in the self-help section of a bookstore over one who is addicted to some mind altering drug or drink, all are in need of the accepting grace of Jesus Christ. It would not be authentic for me to wander into bars to meet those who are seeking to soothe themselves with alcohol, but it would not be a stretch to put a band together and play in locations that would force me to get to know those who don’t even know they’re lost. Such behavior isn’t taught in Sunday School, let alone from the pulpit, but I wonder, is that what ragamuffins do?

Perhaps that’s a bit provocative and the bi-vocational pastor is the answer. We need to get creative and listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do whatever works to remove barriers that prevent those who are living without the awesome love of God that we all know is freely available. No more playing it safe.

Reading this chapter is like reading a synopsis of the book, like Manning was agitated just enough to recap the main points of the book–he couldn’t help himself! The preacher preaches. That’s his gift. This sermon is in writing for us to hear over and over again, to underline and highlight the thoughts that speak to us individually.

I can’t help but believe that if our churches were filled with ragamuffins, we would be so attractive to the outside world that we could not contain the people–and they would not mind a bit.

« A Word After

19 Mercies: A Spiritual Retreat »

 

Notes:

1 systole and diastole. Diastole is the part of the cardiac cycle when the heart refills with blood following systole (contraction). Ventricular diastole is the period during which the ventricles are filling and relaxing, while atrial diastole is the period during which the atria are relaxing.systole-diastole

2 mysterium tremendum: overwhelming mystery.

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Ten Questions: #4 – Wasn’t he a wise teacher, why try to make Jesus into the Son of God?

Summary

  • Many people believe Jesus was given a “divine promotion” after his crucifixion that he never claimed for himself.
  • Contrary to that belief, the dramatic explosion of devotion to Jesus points back to his teachings as the source.
  • The New Testament record affirms that Jesus was believed to be the Messiah and that Jesus’ followers trusted in him, prayed to him and worshiped him as such.
  • Jesus made multiple claims to equality with the Father, and he never sought to change the perceptions of his listeners.
  • Jesus predicted that all his claims would be proven by his death and resurrection.

Introduction

  • The beginning of this chapter is quite interesting as Mittelberg takes time to describe how followers of Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise know as the Buddha, was transformed from a “spiritual guide with unique insights and wisdom” into a movement that became a major world religion.
  • Gautama did not want to be considered as a divine person, in fact, he was actually not interested in discussing the existence of God at all, but many Buddhists today treat the Buddha as deity and worship him as such.
  • The belief that Jesus was just a good teacher has been around a long time. Thomas Jefferson notoriously cut up a copy of the New Testament to remove all references to Jesus’ miracles or his divinity. Many people take this approach today.
  • Muslims claim he was a great prophet, but assert he would never claim to be the Son of God.
  • Jews consider him a great teacher, but certainly NOT the Messiah.
  • Even some who profess to be Christians gravitate toward this position—this is a dangerous and slippery slope.

An Explosion of Devotion to Jesus

  • The common claim today is that belief in Jesus as a unique, divine person evolved over the first three centuries, not while eyewitnesses were still alive. Yet as it turns out, the best historical scholarship shows that simply is not the case.
  1. First of all, every New Testament writer refers to Jesus as the “Christ,” or Messiah; they were proclaiming that Jesus was the preeminent Priest-King sent by God to fulfill his promises.
  2. Second and Third, the earliest and the latest New Testament authors alike use the most exalted titles and divine honors for Jesus; there was consistency.

Here’s the key point to remember: there never was a time when the earliest community of followers of Jesus did not regard him as far, far more than a good teacher.

Just who did Jesus think he was?

  • Jesus referred to himself as “the Son of Man” eighty-two times in the four Gospels (even more than the “Christ”).
  • This refers back to Daniel 7:13-14, where Daniels foresees “one like a son of man” being given all power and dominion.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus.  “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

  • This couples the title, “Son of Man” with the prophecy in Daniel and the frequent occurrences in the New Testament.
  • The reaction of the Pharisees confirms Jesus’ claim.
  • There are numerous examples of Jesus’ adding to the teaching with “but I say…”
  • What’s interesting is that in all these cases Jesus had ample opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings about what he was really saying, but he did not. Instead he reinforced his claim to be the Son of God, true deity, and equal in nature to God the Father.

Evidence that Jesus’ claims are true

  • Just what was it the convinced Jesus’ followers he was the Messiah?
  • His death, which no one disputes, provides convincing evidence. But it was his resurrection that changed everything.
  • Christianity did no begin with a group of people trying to remember and follow Jesus’ teachings, it began with the belief that God resurrected him from the dead.
  • Jesus told them in advance that he would die and then be resurrected by God

Reasons for believing the reality of the resurrection

Three facts to conclude that the Resurrection is an actual historical event:

  1. No responsible historian denies that Jesus died on a Roman cross
  2. The tomb in which Jesus’ body had been buried was found empty
  3. People had experiences that thy were convinced were encounters with Jesus

Tips for Talking About This Issue

  • Remember that many opinions are based on incomplete information as well as fictional sources such as novels, movies and TV shows. Encourage them to take time to look into these matters, even to read the Gospels as a starting point.
  • Beyond the Bible, here are some good books to consider:
  • Remember the Gospels are at the very least a reliable historical record about the life and teachings of Jesus. Our friends can respect and learn from the Gospel report without first having to decide whether the Gospels are the inspired Word of God.
  • Even if our friends are skeptical, it’s good to encourage them to keep an open mind and even to approach this with a simple prayer.
  • It’s important to remember, and to impress gently upon our friends, that if Jesus is who he claimed to be, then understanding and embracing what he taught is a really big deal.

Questions for discussion

  1. What did you believe about Jesus as you grew up? Have your views changed? If so, why?
  2. What is the most convincing evidence for you that Jesus truly is the Son of God, deity incarnate in humanity?
  3. What are the most serious challenges you’ve heard to the teaching that Jesus really is God in human flesh? What did you do (or can you do) to address those challenges and bolster your own confidence?
  4. How might your answer to the previous question prepare you to help your friends understand the reality of who Jesus is?
  5. Imagine you’re in a conversation with a friend who, after some discussion, finally acknowledges that Jesus seems to be more than a man and probably is the Son of God. What could you say next to help your friend take steps toward actually receiving Christ at as his or her own Savior?
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